


Nice to Know You

by RoseWaterTears



Series: Kinktober Realness [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Anal, Awkward Sokka, Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Childhood Trauma, Closeted Character, Coming Out, Demons, Dogs, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Sokka (Avatar), IDK how that's not a tag already, Incubus Zuko, M/M, Oiroke no Jutsu | Sexy no Jutsu, Opposite of friends to lovers, Rude - Freeform, Smut, Tacos, The underworld is into anime and definitely hentai, They bang and then maybe try to get to know each other, Trauma, WHY IS GAY SOKKA A TAG AND NOT BI ZUKO?, Zuko (Avatar) is Bad at Feelings, bi zuko, found it, headass, heart eyes, incubus, nevermind, split tongue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:47:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29203092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseWaterTears/pseuds/RoseWaterTears
Summary: It's a normal workday for Sokka when an attractive stranger walks in, and he can't seem to get him off his mind.Zuko is an incubus on a new job assignment, but he keeps getting drawn to the cute barista with the blue eyes.Continuation and broadening of chapter 14 of my Kinktober. Enjoy!
Relationships: Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Suki/Yue (Avatar)
Series: Kinktober Realness [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2106852
Comments: 17
Kudos: 64





	1. Chapter 1

“Good Evening!”

The ring of the cafe door-bell jolted Sokka out of a wandering daydream. His greeting was robotic - a forced habit he’d picked up while working the night shift. “Welcome to the Jas-” His sentence stuttered to a stop as he turned to greet his customer; caught off guard by his own immediate attraction.

“I- uh...Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon, what can I get you?” Sokka played it cool and quickly correcting himself while maintaining a professional exterior despite the flutter of butterflies in his gut and the electric sparks whirling through his nerves.

Before him stood the most beautiful punk boy he’d ever laid eyes on. Pale skin coupled with raven black hair in a high ponytail with a side shaved that made Sokka’s knees weak. A wicked scar over the handsome stranger's left eye gave him a badass flare; Sokka was a sucker for the aura of danger and mystique. However, the stranger's most striking feature was undoubtedly his eyes, like fire and gold, gleaming brighter than any of the fluorescent lights illuminating the cafe.

“Jasmine tea, large and add ice please.” The man's voice was deep and raspy; Sokka felt each syllable slide down his spine. 

Spiked boots gave a small squeak as the man half spun just enough so that he was perpendicular to the counter. The man leaned up against the clear-topped glass case displaying small pastries, curiously eyeing a few. Sokka, working on prepping the tea, watched the man admire the macaroons Sokka had done up earlier that day. “Care to try one? They are pretty fresh. I made them only a few hours ago.” It was a weak attempt to spark conversation, but Sokka wanted to hear that sultry voice again.

“Tempting… Sure, why not? I'm no stranger to giving in to my desires.” A sly smirk crossed the man's face as he fixed his flaming gaze on Sokka. Sparks turned to lightning and Sokka’s nerves went haywire on the inside as he felt himself begin to melt like butter, making it hard to function. But, just barely, he managed to seal a lid on the tea and slide his way over to the pastry counter where he opened the case and plucked up two of the macaroons with a set of tongs. Sokka carefully sealed the treats in a paper pouch and placed it beside the tea sitting on the counter ready for checkout. 

The man twisted to get closer, placing his elbows on the counter and clasping his hands together. “So- what’s the damage?” The smirk never broke. Sokka, with palms growing clammy and fingers twitching with jitters, punched in the items on the register and totaled it out. “Funny, but it looks like today it totals up to six dollars and sixty-six cents. I guess you could call it a devilishly delightful snack.” Sokka’s bad pun managed to get a light chuckle - which only added to the butterflies in Sokka’s stomach. 

The man paid and unsealed the paper bag to pull out one of the macaroons. He took a small bite, and moaned. “Mmhmm, this is sinfully good. I have to know the name of such a talented baker.”

Sokka gave a shy smile, “Sokka.” His voice was small but firm enough not to betray his nerves. 

“Well, Sokka, if I may, looks like the sign on the door says this place closes at one and it's…” The man looked at the clock set on the wall behind the counter. “Twelve thirty. How’s a midnight dinner-date sound to you?” Sokka’s eyes widened in a bit of shock. He would never have guessed a man as obviously beautiful as this stranger would ever be interested in someone like himself. Not that Sokka wasn’t all that appealing; he had his qualities, but he knew his confidence (or lack thereof) turned his solid 8 looks into a weak 5 as far as presentation. 

“Well, uh, sure - I mean, I wouldn't mind that - I haven’t really eaten since earlier and I’m definitely someone always up for a quick bite and I don’t have plans later so if you’re willing to hang around till then there's a taco truck I know of just down the street?” Sokka’s voice grew squeaky as he ran out of breath trying to keep up with his run-on sentence (not made easy by his mild anxiety), and hoped to the spirits that punky boi didn’t notice. 

“Sounds good, name’s Zuko by the way. I’m gonna have a seat while you do what you need to. And, while I wait, have myself a little bit more of your masterpiece.” He drew out the last word a little and wiggled the pastry bag.

~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko...Zuko was all Sokka could think about that last half hour. He thought about if Zuko would laugh at his horrible puns, what Zuko would order from the truck, how his hands would look against Zuko’s chest, seeing Zuko’s smirk over him, a light blush dusting his cheekbones from the effort of being intimate with Sokka... What was he thinking? Sokka shook himself like the dog he was and began cleaning the counter. He had barely just met the man and he was already fantasizing about him. 

Sokka couldn’t help it though. Being 22 and the last virgin in his friend group was kinda hard; constantly the brunt of the joke about it. It’s not like he hadn’t wanted to - maybe he was just a  _ little _ scared or maybe he hadn't found anyone he wanted to give it to. Whatever the reason, something about being in the presence of Zuko gave him a thrill - he couldn’t really help that his body was sending little excited pulses up and throughout his core.

Sokka’s watch alarm went off, snapping him out of his lustful imagination. He clocked out and tried to put a swagger into his step as he strode to Zuko’s table. “Hey stranger, are you ready?” Sokka stuffed his hands into his jean jacket and popped out a hip to force a cool exterior. 

Zuko looked up from his phone and practically blinded Sokka with an amazing smile. “Lead the way.” Zuko got up and they made their way outside. 

“So you already know I work at a tea shop, but what do you do?” Sokka was never good at making small talk, but he couldn’t handle the silence between them as they strolled down the cobblestone sidewalk - especially after the thoughts he had earlier.

“Oh, well I work for my father. It’s kinda complicated what he does, but essentially he just makes deals all day and rules over his… company. I work in human relations.” Zuko shrugged his shoulders and looked into the night sky.

“Don’t you mean human resources?” Sokka asked.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. Just a slip of the tongue.” Zuko looked over at Sokka and licked his lips absentmindedly. Sokka noticed the way it was split from itself, the two tails ending in their own points, and just watched as they worked together. Sokka chastised himself for staring, but his intrusive thoughts drew him more and more to ruminate over the strong muscle.  _ Don’t think about his tongue, Sokka. Don’t you dare fucking do it. _

Damn, he couldn’t just  _ not  _ have it rule over his thoughts though. All he wanted was to feel that tongue make its way into his mouth, battling for dominance in which it would ultimately win. To feel it lick its way down to his neck and trace its way over all of Sokka’s sensitive parts. He wanted to know what it felt like to have his tongue wrapped around him in the best of intimate ways. 

Zuko cleared his throat and it brought Sokka back to the world of the living. Sokka could feel Zuko’s gaze on him, so he strode a little ahead in an attempt to prevent the other man from seeing his face turn crimson. 

“The taco truck is just around the corner.” Sokka rounded the block and came to a smooth stop to gaze at the truck and all its glory. The yellow of it was illuminated by twinkling string lights placed in a fanned out fashion over some small wood benches set up as a make-shift outdoor dining space. Sokka loved this place. The ladies here always made him feel special AND they stayed open late which made it all that much more convenient considering his work schedule.

The two of them ordered and settled at one of the wooden picnic tables, casually exchanging story after story of themselves while they ate. They laughed easily together and it was honestly the best date Sokka ever had. There weren’t any expectations and he felt at ease. 

They finished their food at about the same time and started walking again after thanking the women for their hard work. As they strolled side by side, Zuko began talking about his job again and, as much as Sokka did enjoy sharing his own stories, he was content having Zuko’s voice wash over him.

“Ya know, the expectations from my dad are unbearable sometimes. He wants me to be the best, but sometimes I just can’t be the workaholic demon that my sister is. Even right now - I have this project I have to finish before I can move up in ranks but, if I’m being honest with myself, I really don’t know if I even want to move up. Some of the higher-ups gloat about the stability and benefits - but at what cost?” Zuko grumbled. 

“Hey, I get it. My sister is the smart and successful one, being a med student and all, and I haven’t even figured out what I want to do yet. Some days I feel like I’m kind of just living in her shadow.” Sokka continued forward, absent-minded. Sokka felt a pressure at his hand and looked at it to find that Zuko had threaded his fingers with his own. They slowed to a stop on the empty sidewalk; Zuko faced the younger man and Sokka felt his heart squeeze itself.

“At least it’s not all bad - the path we've taken so far lead us to tonight after all. Sorry if I’m being too forward but I have really enjoyed our time tonight and I don’t want to end it just yet- I want to make this night _ perfect _ .” Sokka listened, mesmerized by the red lips in front of him- without thinking, he drifted closer as Zuko slowly lured him further into his arms. Zuko tilted his head closer to Sokka’s and tentatively met their lips together. It was quick and sweet. An invitation. And Sokka took it.

Grabbing hard onto the taller boy’s arms, Sokka leaned into the kiss, deepening it. Zuko wrapped an arm around Sokka to pull him into his chest and brought his other hand up to capture Sokka’s jaw. They didn’t let go of each other for what felt like forever, blissfully forgetting the world around them. When they finally parted, they were both out of breath, pupils blown wide and clinging onto each other like the other man was the only thing to keep them from drowning.

“My apartment is only a few blocks away, and I need you...  _ right now _ .” Sokka knew he could scare off this amazing man for going too fast, but his body was betraying him by growing harder and harder and he was pretty sure Zuko could feel him through his pants.

“Perfect.” Zuko’s telltale smirk appeared.

~~~~~~~~~~

The journey to Sokka's apartment continued without further incident, but that didn’t stop the sexual tension from boiling between them. Sokka made it through his front door first with Zuko hot on his heels. The doorway led directly into Sokka’s living room where Zuko, without hesitation, settled himself down on the sofa so he could work on unlacing his boots. By the time he’d managed to pull them both off Sokka had already stripped off his Converse and jacket only to leave them unceremoniously in a pile by the door. 

Sokka couldn’t wait any longer, Tui and La forbid he loses his nerve in the most exciting and adrenaline-filled part of the night. Sokka stepped over to the couch and straddled Zuko, bringing him into a searing kiss. Sokka held Zuko's face within his hands, silently begging him to reciprocate with everything. Not missing one second, Zuko wrapped his arms around him and tugged him closer. 

Sokka could feel both of their arousals pressed against each other, the friction was so tantalizing that it made his head swim. Zuko licked at Sokka's bottom lip, nipping it to show his desire. Sokka's own desire was bubbling up inside of him, roaring like a raging fire that could only be sedated by Zuko. 

Zuko drew back away from Sokka and if Sokka didn't have such a one-track mind, he would be embarrassed at the small whine he let out from the loss of contact. "I need to know something before we continue." Zuko's voice was deeper than what it was earlier and the raspiness of it set Sokka on edge. "Do you really want this? Do you want to be mine?" He looked up into the darker boys’ eyes as if searching for an answer. 

"Yes, I want this more than _ anything _ ." Sokka slid his arms around Zuko's shoulders, successfully drawing him closer to meet their lips again for a brief kiss. 

"Good," the devilish glint in Zuko's eyes made Sokka very glad to be on the receiving end of it. As if by magic, from his coat pocket, Zuko produced a condom and a small bottle of what Sokka thought to be lube. The sight of the two items made Sokka give out an amused and exasperated huff. "What? I like to make it my job to be prepared for things. This lube is special too, it has certain properties that make things … easier. Especially for the receiver." Zuko then proceeded to wiggle his eyebrow. 

Sokka slapped Zuko's shoulder at how brazen he was being. "You fucking cad. What if I had said no?" 

"Then I would have continued to be the best kisser you've ever had and then maybe we could have cuddled," Zuko stated matter of factly. He really was the best kisser Sokka had ever experienced, but he didn't need to know that. His ego would just skyrocket and Sokka just knew he would not hear the end of it. Sokka decided he needed the talking to stop at that and grounded his hips into Zuko’s one more time as he went in for another kiss.

It wasn’t long before they were back into the rhythm of it all. Sokka managed to detach himself long enough to pull off and chuck his t-shirt onto the clothing pile he left at the door, allowing Zuko to sit back and get a full view of Sokka’s moderately chiseled muscles. 

Pale hands roamed over the soft and smooth skin of Sokka’s chest. Zuko’s long fingers glided over Sokka; his abs and pecs to his biceps and triceps. Sokka worked out - but it wasn’t really anything to brag about, or so he thought. Zuko loved every inch of him though. No one could compare themselves or hold a flame to the beauty Zuko saw that dusted Sokka’s entire being.

Sokka saw the thinly veiled hunger and lust that hid in Zuko’s eyes, and as if done magically, his worries of inadequateness lessened. Pride with the hard work he puts in with his body pushed his insecurities to bay. Zuko’s gaze worked its way back up to meet Sokka’s as the darker man gave Zuko a look that could only mean. ‘take me.’ 

Zuko slid his hand teasingly over Sokka’s nipple, relishing in the feel of the shudder racing down the shirtless man’s body. While one nipple was being pinched and tugged, the other was met with the stud on Zuko’s tongue that was previously hidden within his mouth. The hot tongue circled and flicked at it, the split engulfing it. Sokka's body didn't know how to react to not just one flick of a tongue, but two at the same time. Slowly Zuko then let his teeth close around it, giving the hardening bud a slight tug. Sokka let out a surprised moan, his head lolling back, giving Zuko full access to the taut and sensitive skin there. Sokka pressed harder into Zuko’s bite as they kept on.

“Your wish is my command.” Zuko chuckled. He flipped Sokka onto the couch, exploring the anatomy of Sokka’s body with his tongue in a way that was so much better than Sokka could have ever imagined it. Sokka let his head fall back as he gave Zuko full control over the moment. Sokka peered down at Zuko through hooded eyes realizing that Zuko’s shirt was now on the floor as well, also noting the heart-shaped piercings through the paler man’s nipples.  _ God that's hot.  _

Zuko dusted light kisses across his collarbone and licked down Sokka's torso, not forgetting to leave behind a few love bite marks along the way. There wasn’t a spot on Sokka's chest and stomach that went neglected by Zuko. He led himself on a methodological trail, leaving a heated kiss on Sokka’s sternum, and brought his teeth to brush along the lines of budding abs. He continued lower and lower, his nose ghosting over skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps.

His journey brought him face level with the ever-growing bulge kept behind dark wash jeans. Zuko laid down flat on Sokka's legs, head propped up with his hand and he hovered over the hardened tent of Sokka’s denim. 

"Hmm, what to do, what to do." He tapped his finger lazily onto his cheek, putting on the face of mock innocence. His unfazed act was met with exactly what he wanted though. Sokka bucked his hips upwards, not quite reaching the friction he desperately needed. Sokka was becoming increasingly undone; getting drunk off of Zuko and his  _ everything.  _

"Please… touch me.  _ Please. _ " Sokka panted, he had never begged for anything in his life, but being in this state of limbo with Zuko was maddening. The grin Zuko gave rivaled the Cheshire Cat’s and he used the hand that previously propped his head up to knead the tent, enlisting a strangled moan from Sokka. The jeans were unbuttoned and slipped off by deft experienced hands, leaving Sokka in nothing but boxers. Zuko palmed the tent in front of him again, with a desperate desire to draw out more noises from the younger man. But the only noise that came was the low whine as Zuko stood to shuck himself from his own restricting black denim.

Zuko's pants were flung away seconds later, and Sokka was able to peek down at some ridiculously cute black boxer briefs covered in purple hearts. Zuko brought himself down on top of Sokka and ground down. Small sparks ran down his thighs and up his spine. Sokka’s mind spiraled for a moment at the faintest thought that the thin cotton of their underwear was the only thing separating them. 

A rush of something heavy settled onto him. It was happening. His first time. Sure, he knew virginity was just a social construct to shame people, but there was still that joyful tension. A hand gently caressed Sokka’s cheek, an anchor in the raging sea he was in. 

He wasn’t sure why it happened, but Sokka felt the whole mood change suddenly from a carnal need to something… sweet and...loving. He pushed his face into the palm of the man above him, enjoying the warmth of his hand. Sokka could drown in the heat emitting from Zuko. 

“I want to be honest with you Sokka, and you deserve it.” Zuko, sounded breathless and needy as he brushed his lips against his collarbone. “I know this is your first time, I can feel it.” Feather-light touches across his ribs manifested, “I want this to be special for you.” A tug on his boxers had Zuko revealing Sokka to the two of them and Zuko was not long behind. “I want you to never regret this,” a strong stroke on his member, a gasp escaped from Sokka. “I want you to confidently recall this” fingers, warm and slick were going into him, stretching him, a tear sliding down his cheek from the sincerity he felt. “I promise this will all be worth it.”

“Zuko, you’re not mad at me? For not telling you I’m a virgin?” Sokka didn’t even question how Zuko could possibly know that fact, he was only aware of the brick of anxiety that curled into his chest, afraid of being rejected. 

“No I’m not mad, how could I ever be mad at you?” Zuko’s calm rasp soothed him once again. With Zuko’s words came the internal stroking of his fingers that brought Sokka out of his head. He knew that the first time would probably hurt or at least sting, but the pleasure he felt was too intoxicating to feel if there was any pain. Zuko had two fingers inside of Sokka and they brought so much stimulation to Sokka, he thought he was going to pass out. Zuko scissored his fingers and slowly added a third. He paused only briefly until he heard Sokka moan ‘ _ more’. _

Zuko had finished his prep. “Are you ready?” Sokka nodded, eyes open and watching. He heard the head was the hardest part, once that was in, everything else was easier. Right?

Zuko rolled on his condom and drizzled more of the lube onto his shaft. He aligned himself to the beautiful writhing mess before him, the tip brushing tantalizingly against Sokka’s ring of muscle and another wave of aroused heat swept through Sokka. Zuko pushed forward and Sokka’s eyes rolled back into his head from just the tip. Slowly, so agonizingly slow, Zuko continued on, and inch by glorious inch, Zuko pushed in until they were flushed together. He couldn’t understand how something could make him feel so full. 

It wasn’t enough for Sokka though. “I-I need you to move Zuko, p-please.” 

Zuko took his time with slow, long, power strokes into Sokka, each one brushing along that one special spot that drove Sokka insane. Zuko for the first time made love, instead of just having sex. He was kissing every available spot Sokka had, murmuring soft encouraging words. 

Zuko worshipped the beautiful body laid out in front of him as blue eyes slowly rolled in on themselves. Sokka’s dark chest rose and compressed with laboring breaths, beautiful lush lips parted allowing small moans and gasps to flow with every thrust. Everything in the moment was perfect - that was where they were both meant to be. 

Sokka felt the pressure grow and it became too much, with a broken moan he reached down. His hand thoughtlessly wrapped around himself as he pumped, chasing that curling feeling within him. He let out a breathless gasp as he fell off the edge, his spent landing on his heaving chest. Zuko paused for a moment to let Sokka catch his breath, but the small composure flew away when Zuko continued. He went slow though, as to not overwhelm the beautiful being below him. He eventually came to his own completion with a gruff moan that was music to Sokka’s ears. Pulling out tenderly, Zuko left and Sokka couldn’t even think past on learning how to breathe again. 

Sokka could feel a strange sensation creeping over him - he became more exhausted by the second. His vision was getting hazy and his senses dulled as he felt Zuko clean up the mess and sweat off of his chest and body with a warm washcloth. Sokka was lulling in and out of consciousness, moments of darkness interrupted by the vague images of Zuko in states of dress. Each opening of his eyes made them heavier and heavier. 

Zuko watched his new lover drifting - as all the other ones had. He knew that tomorrow the whole thing would all be wiped from Sokka’s mind but - part of him wished Sokka would find him again. It wasn’t entirely unusual for Zuko to feel somewhat attached but - something about tonight was different. Sokka was different. Zuko smiled at his own thoughts -  _ foolish.  _

A hand pressed into Sokka’s cheek and through heavy-lidded eyes, he looked up at Zuko just in time to see a cloud of electric purple smoke begin to trail from Zuko’s lips. 

“Goodnight, my pretty boy.”

The purple smoke rolled over Sokka’s face, thick and warm. He could feel it as he inhaled and it swirled into his lungs. The light faded entirely as Sokka drifted - the feeling of Zuko’s hand slipping away was the last sensation Sokka could feel before sleep overtook him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Side note that I'll probably add into the fic later. Zuko doesn't make people want to be with him. He just lightly helps them with their walls they put up. The desire is there, but most people just stuff it down and forget about it. He doesn't make anyone do a deed they don't want to do. He's just a walking aphrodisiac. Consent is important to this AUs incubi/succubi. 
> 
> Please leave comments and kudos! They're the best part of my day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, I've actually been getting beta'd lately. Totally new uncharted lands, but I wanna thank them for their hard work! Sorryimabitanxious, you're the best.

Sokka awoke curled up on his couch, a small blanket covering him but still cold. The alarm on his phone blared the most annoying jingle ever, but he needed it to actually wake up on time. His skin prickled at the frigid air, cursing himself for not turning on the heater when he returned home the previous night. He sat up gingerly after a mental battle of mustering up the will to even move and with a heavy hand, Sokka found his phone on the floor to finally turn off the alarm. 

Although he slept through the night, he felt exhausted and he couldn’t think of why. Sokka couldn’t understand the weird dreams he had either. Images of pierced ears, a scar, and studded boots floated across his memory, each thing a separate blurring thought. He tried to piece them together in some sort of a weird memory jigsaw puzzle, but ultimately it breezed out of his head when his results came up with nothing.  _ Ugh.  _ He needed to stop having hot sauce before bed; spicy foods never did good things to him. 

Striding to the shower was a feat within itself, he felt as if he was hungover but not at the same time. His limbs were heavy and sluggish while his mind felt open and unrestrained. Climbing into the almost searing water stream, Sokka tried to remember what he had done the evening prior. Just like almost every other night, he finished his shift, got tacos, and made his way home where he binged bad reality tv before deciding to crash on his lumpy couch.  _ Hmm weird. _ What he couldn’t remember was when he got naked. 

He finished washing up and opened the curtain, all around him were tendrils of coiling steam, and suddenly flashbacks to purple smoke came crashing into his mind. 

_ Purple smoke? Why the fuck am I thinking of that? _ He exited and entered his room, got dressed in some nice gray jeans, and a black t-shirt. Finding his shoes and jacket took a moment because he usually never left them by the door. But there they were, in a pile with his shirt from the previous day. Weird.

He resolved himself to eat the green salsa instead of the red, his hope ignorantly misplaced. Blaming the spiciness didn’t ease the feeling that he was missing something else though, but he shrugged it off.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sokka strode into the Jasmine Dragon and was blindsided by a bubblegum pink blur. “Sokka! Have you heard of the band that’s playing tonight?” An energetic girl ran up to him and launched herself onto him to give a suffocating hug. He easily caught the flying mass and took a step back to regain his balance before he made the two of them topple onto the floor.

“Ty Leeeeeee. I didn’t know you were coming in today.” Sokka’s voice wavered a second before he extracted himself from his attacker and made his way around the counter. A few more steps brought him into the employee lounge that was adjacent to the kitchen. 

The girl, Ty Lee, followed with a small bounce in her carefree steps. “And if you’re going to ask me a question like that, I need more information. There are probably like a million bands playing tonight. All across the world.” 

He smiled to himself as he made his way to his locker and grabbed his apron. He loved the muted greens and browns of the store colors, especially the jade of the fabric used for the only piece of his uniform. He tied the soft material around himself, waiting for Ty Lee to answer. 

“No, you dummy, I mean Knives! They’re playing at The White Lotus at midnight tonight. I hear they got a super hot bassist named Mai.” Ty Lee smiled from the doorway she was leaning against. Sokka took a moment to look at her. Ty Lee was the embodiment of sugar, spice, and everything nice. She was wearing her favorite flowy dress, with her chestnut hair in its usual braid. 

It still boggled his mind that such a bright and effervescent girl would fall in love with a gloomy and dark aesthetic emo chick. Maybe there  _ was  _ something behind the ‘opposites attract’ saying. 

“So like, right when we close. Also, Mai’s your girlfriend. Of course, you think she’s hot. And isn’t the White Lotus like 4 blocks away from here?” Sokka closed his locker and made his way to the front. Although he would love to just stand around and chat, he did indeed have a job to get to. Iroh always trusted the closing crew more than the other shifts and Sokka would hate to have Iroh think he misplaced it with him. 

“Objectively, she is the most gorgeous woman ever. And yeessss. That’s why it’s even better for our no car having asses. But that’s not the point here!” She twirled herself and leaned over the counter to grab his hand. Ty Lee’s energy was infectious just like her smile. “This is Mai’s debut at a real venue! I’m going to go as support, and I want you to come with me tonight. I’m bringing Suki tooooo~. Please please please please!!” Ty lee was bouncing up and down. And he couldn’t say no to her. 

“Fine. But don’t expect me to stay long.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

They closed up shop a little early due to the lack of customers on a Friday night and made their way down the street. Ty lee skipped half of the way and vibrated with the buzz of pure excitement to see her girlfriend perform. 

They pushed their way into the bar, and Sokka immediately noticed the stage to his far left. Instruments littered it, but there wasn’t anyone playing yet. 

The bar itself was fairly packed and large, easy enough to lose someone if you weren’t paying attention. It also reminded Sokka more of a warehouse more than anything else. 

Sokka let himself get dragged through the crowd by Ty lee, her hand like a vise grip around his wrist. Warm bodies ground and thumped against one another with sweat almost riveting from some.

The counter was on the back wall and Ty lee was already jamming herself in between other patrons to get them some drinks. She flashed the bartender a smile and almost magically, two draft beers appeared in her hands. Ty Lee gave an over-exaggerated wink in lieu of actual payment and sped walked away.

“Here! Drink up before they realize I’m out of their league.” She shoved one of the beers into Sokka’s hands which he took gratefully. “So here’s the plan for tonight. Mai is gonna start playing up there in like 15 minutes and Suki is showing up any minute now  _ and  _ we’re getting you laid tonight.” Ty lee had somehow led them to an empty standing table not far from the stage.

Sokka groaned, displeasure and dread filling the hole that was previously filled with a bud of enjoyment. He hated when they intervened. He was an adult and his own person, he felt that if he truly wanted something, he would look for it. “Ugh, you two. I’m fiiiiine. I don’t need to have sex to have fun. If you can keep conning beers for me all night, then I will think of tonight as a success.” That lovely buzz of bubbles he thought he started to feel dispersed much to his dismay.

“No, we’re finding you a girl and you’re getting it.” She focused on something over Sokka’s shoulder and gave a small shriek. “SUKI!” Ty lee yelled over the chatter of the crowd and a girl with an auburn bob came hustling through the thick throng of people standing in her way. The two women hugged each other furiously and the new one turned to give Sokka a smile.

Suki and Sokka loved each other fiercely. Long ago they had dated but ultimately decided that friends can have love just as strong as any romance. Especially after Suki had met Sokka’s only other ex, Yue. The two had hit it off and had been inseparable since high school.

“Hey, Casanova. Ty lee tells me we’re setting you up tonight?” Suki gives a mischievous grin. She was dressed as impeccably as ever, mom jeans from the 90s rolled at the ankles were paired with a green spaghetti strap crop top and classic Air Force Ones. Sokka wanted nothing more than to leave and salvage his night, but he didn’t want to disappoint his friends. 

“I rather wish you guys wouldn’t.” Sokka looked off into the crowd, praying for anything to get him out of this predicament. Nothing popped out at him though, and he downed the rest of his pilfered drink. 

“I know, I know. Mr. ‘I’m not lonely’, but you have to admit it would be nice to have  _ someone _ .” Suki put her hands on each of his shoulders and straightened him in front of her. Her ever-changing eyes bore into him, the intensity of the hazel like a search beam into his soul. Sokka would never admit it too loudly, but Suki scared him sometimes. Whether it was her spirit or her actual physical prowess or a mix of the two, Suki could make him cower under it. 

“Here, I’ll make you a deal. We’ll bring you girls and a beer and you can ditch the girl when you finish the beer. That gives them at least five minutes of chatting time and maybe you can find love tonight.” She gave another very wide grin. 

Sokka heaved a large sigh and steeled himself. “What if I don’t want to Suks? Does it even matter?” He just wanted them to listen to him. 

“Come on. Do you trust me?” She gave him a sickenly sweet smile.

“Yes. Fucking fine, but I want good beer. Not some Bud light bullshit. ”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko was sitting at the end of the bar with a ditzy girl hanging onto his every word. She was so infatuated with him that getting her to take him back to her place would be way too easy. She wasn’t even in the group his work assignment had him after. But the girl did stroke his ego as she fawned over him, although Zuko could sense that she wished to have been stroking something else of his. 

He looked away from her while she was drowning on and on about her boring job when he spotted a familiar blue-eyed man. Sokka was standing at a table by the stage, looking just as miserable as a wet cat. With him was some blonde girl that looked as if she wanted to be anywhere else as well. He watched as two more women made their way over to Sokka and the date practically ran away, finally able to get her wish. Both of the two new women laid into Sokka, their anger evident across the bar. It seemed like the three of them were getting into a fairly heated argument.

Zuko lifted his hand and cut off the woman. "Hold that thought dear." Shifting away from her and off his stool, he moved with inhuman grace to get swallowed whole by the crowd.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sokka was 6 beers/girls in and he was getting grouchier and grouchier by the moment.  _ Wasn’t alcohol supposed to make me feel good? Oh, that’s right. You don’t feel good because you’re a closeted gay and your best friends keep parading girls in front of you.  _ He looked down at his half-filled glass as the music from the band drifted over his increasingly intoxicated state.

The girl standing next to him stopped talking after a few minutes of his bare minimum grunts and vague noises he passed off as responses. He was just waiting for the next girl and beer to show up. His weak-willed prayer was not answered as Suki and Ty lee came back empty-handed and told the girl that she can go. Once she left, admittingly fast-paced, they turned their attention back to Sokka as he chugged the rest of the beer. 

“Can’t you at least be nice to them? Make small talk?" Suki chided him, and it turned his self-pity into something akin to anger. But that didn’t feel quite right. Sokka never got angry or even heated. The harshest he ever got was his weak sarcasm and feigned annoyance. There was always room for firsts though. His new-found bitterness and irritation bubbled and spilled out in the form of words. 

"Can you guys stop fucking shoving these girls at me? I don't want a date, I don't want to meet some girl, and I definitely don't want someone that is forced to come to talk to me by my best friends who know no-THING OF WHAT I WANT!" Sokka ended his statement in a shout, multiple bar patrons giving him dirty looks at his outburst. His breathing was ragged and he felt the gazes on him as if they weighed a million tons. 

Suki’s face instantly fell into concern and she put her hand on his arm to try to console him, but he angrily yanked it away. He couldn't stand the hurt look within her eyes. Sokka gave both of his friends a short look and shoved his way through the swarm of half-drunk people. He pushed and weaved until he finally found his way out a heavy door and out of the bar. Immediately he felt relief wash over him as he felt the weird hot humidity of the building get washed away with the nice clean and crisp atmosphere outside. 

A brisk breeze caused Sokka to clutch his jacket closer to himself. He began walking in the direction of his apartment and hoped to Tui and La that he was sober enough to not fall over on his way home. He was about 20 ft away from the warehouse when he heard the heavy metal door slam open and rushed steps resounded behind him. 

"Listen Suki, I know what I said was harsh, but I'm not taking it back," Sokka yelled behind him. And he wasn’t. He was explicit in his wishes the entire night, and they just chipped them away until he bent under their whims.

"Oof. Sorry to break it to you but my name is Zuko." Sokka heard a dark and raspy voice speak beside him. Shocked, Sokka looked to his right and saw a man with pitch-black hair with an outfit that screamed 'leave me alone’ but also ‘Sex God’ at the same time.

"Oh, well, shit. I'm sorry for yelling at you." Sokka ducked his head to hide the small bit of shame showing on his face. He may have been bold enough to oppose Suki, but he was still too much of an introvert to be anything but cordial in front of a stranger. 

"It's no problem. I'll forgive you in exchange for a name and the reason I can practically see steam coming from your ears." Zuko bumped shoulders with him, and the closeness made Sokka smell a faint scent of honey-laced spice. Sokka felt almost every inhibition against new people leak out of him. 

"It's just, uh, my friends keep setting me up with random chicks and, uh, and I think I'm more inclined to, well, dudes. And my name is Sokka." Sokka was abashed at his sudden willingness to overshare with this stranger. “I haven’t really...come out to them yet.”  _ What the fuck am I doing? _ Why was it so much easier to talk to this random man than two people he had known for years. 

"Hey man, I get it. I was pretty upset at my friends too because their bi-dar wasn't working, but you can't really blame them. People think straight is the default, but in my opinion," Zuko leaned in close for the next part, "I think everyone is some kind of queer until proven otherwise." With that, Zuko rewarded the world with a light laugh, rasp, and huskiness mixing with the wind. 

Sokka chuckled at the statement too. He never really thought about it that way though. They continued walking and Sokka couldn't stand the small moment of silence between them. "So when did you realize you were, you know…"

"Not straight? Swung for both teams? Realized that butts looked good on  _ everyone _ ?" Zuko gave him a wicked grin.

Sokka blushed at the last sentence. "Yeah, that."

"I'm not really sure. I mean there wasn’t really one definite day, it was an ongoing thing for a while. I think one thing that really made me aware of it though, was the fact I was even asking myself the question in the first place. I guess I always felt an attraction to many different people, but it took one talk from some of my friends to even realize it was a possibility." Zuko glanced at Sokka, eyes slightly hooded. 

The dreaded silence returned again. The only thing filling it was the rustling of the leaves from trees along the sidewalk and the steady  _ clink clink  _ of the various chains and metals on Zuko’s outfit. He kept walking, not truly knowing why Zuko was walking with him still, but soon they had walked two blocks in silence and had no sign of splitting up soon. 

Sokka was fully unprepared for the new way his night might be taking. He gave his new acquaintance an appraising look. Zuko must have felt his gaze because he looked over again and flashed Sokka a smile, his canines seemed to shine bright in the low light of the night. 

An ‘oh shit’ look crossed Zuko’s face as he suddenly realized something. "Oh sorry, probably seems weird that I'm still walking with you. I guess I just wanted someone to talk to." Zuko betrayed his own aesthetic as he blushed and it only deepened when his stomach growled. He gave Sokka a slightly embarrassed look. "And I guess some food wouldn't hurt right now too.” 

Sokka was pretty sure that Zuko had lied because they had only talked about Sokka’s issues. He'd probably seen the episode he had with Suki, but Sokka didn't care. He just was glad someone was finally actually listening to him. "I-uh, I know a taco truck nearby that stays open pretty late if you want to swing by."

"Mmmm tacos. It's a date then." Zuko squeezed his eyes shut to imagine the flavors, and ran his tongue over his bottom lip in mild excitement. Sokka felt dazed minutely at the peak of Zuko’s split tongue.  _ That’s not something you see often.  _ It wasn’t a common thing, but a flash of memory flew through the back of his mind of another tongue just like that. He tried to chase the thought as it rushed by, but it only got farther away the more he sought it out.

Zuko and Sokka walked a few more blocks to said truck and the ladies there greeted him with such warmth, he knew his night wouldn't end as bad as he thought it would. The men grabbed their orders ladened with onions and cilantro, and sat on the worn picnic bench there. 

They ate in relative silence, just the Spanish music from the truck becoming the only thing filling the air. Sokka reveled in the familiarity of his favorite food spot, but Sokka had a weird feeling wash over him. Like he was forgetting something really important, and couldn’t figure it out for the life of him.

They finished with happy stomachs and continued to walk idly. Their conversation flowed through many different topics. Sokka couldn’t think back to the last time he talked to someone to that extent. Maybe back in high school with Katara. Maybe Yue?

Sokka subconsciously had walked them to his apartment complex, and even right to his front door. "Oh fuck. This is actually... my apartment here." Sokka looked from his door then at the man in front of him. He just then noticed Zuko’s eyes were pure gold, almost luminescent in the low light. 

“I guess this is ‘Good night’ then.” Zuko’s voice was lowered in respect of the neighbors. 

Mild panic raced its way through Sokka’s veins. He definitely didn’t want the night to end. Sokka scratched the back of his head, scrambling to find anything to say to keep Zuko in front of him. “It doesn’t have to be. You could- you. You could come inside… if you want.” Sapphires met topaz in a search for hope within them. 

Zuko gave a small and weak huff of a laugh. “I don’t think that’s smart. I really shouldn’t be doing this.” He looked somewhere over Sokka’s shoulder, and back down to his own boots.

“Doing what, exactly?” Sokka couldn’t hide the hurt in his voice, but his efforts were for not. 

“Attachments. It won’t be good for either of us in the long run.” He let the statement fall between them as if it explained everything, but Sokka couldn’t have been more confused.

“If that’s the case then… maybe instead of you coming in, I could get a kiss?” It may have been the wishful sound in his voice or maybe even the softness in Sokka’s face but Zuko couldn’t resist granting him that one request. 

“Okay.” It wasn’t anything more than a whisper, a small cloud puffing in the deepening chill of night. 

Leaning forward hesitantly, Sokka closed his eyes and brushed his lips against the taller man's. They tasted of the most decadent chocolate ever and Sokka felt encompassed in it, just like Augustus Gloop. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he thought that Zuko’s lips fit perfectly against his. 

Sokka was never a brave person, anxiety, fear, and caution as natural to him as his hair or skin. It was just a part of him. But maybe, just maybe he could be courageous and did the things he wanted to despite his fear. 

Sokka pushed forward onto his toes and rose to push the other man to kiss deeper. His hands came up to grasp onto leather lapels and held on for dear life. Silent messages were sent from him, begging for more. 

Reluctantly he withdrew and looked upon the face of his first  _ real _ kiss. What he saw was silky purple smoke clouding his vision.

Sokka stumbled forward, a brief look of shock crossing his face before sagging against the demon as his body went limp without his knowing. Zuko grabbed him and hastily found the keys to the apartment within Sokka’s inner jacket pocket. He hoped that none of the neighbors were snooping at them as he pulled Sokka into the door and hoisted him up into his arms.

Carrying the unconscious man as carefully as he could bridal style, Zuko crept farther into the apartment. He took a moment to give a curious glance at framed photos and other decor as he made his way towards the bedroom he assumed was in the back. An open door at the end of the hallway showed him a bed and rumpled blankets. 

Zuko laid Sokka down on the bed and carefully took off his shoes and jacket, leaving him still dressed in his shirt and jeans. Zuko hoped that when Sokka woke up, he would think he was just too tired and tipsy to undress. He didn’t know why he was doing what he was doing and what the ache in his chest was, but he knew it was linked to the sleeping form before him. Zuko sat down on the bed by him and tenderly brushed the hair away from Sokka’s forehead.

“The rules say that I can’t do this again, but there’s just something about you that makes me do things in such a weird way. Demons can’t really love another being, but I would like to think that something akin to that is budding within me. Good night Sokka.” He bent and kissed the exposed forehead and left, hoping to maybe see his almost love again. "Find me again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, an update actually on a schedule of some kind? From me? Weird. We're getting more into fluff territory here folks! Hope y'all enjoyed this! Comment and kudos are always much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

Sokka woke up in his bed, still mostly dressed from the previous night. He laid there in his bed for a moment, trying to recall how he had gotten there. All he could remember is storming out of the bar trying to get away from Ty Lee and Suki and the chilled air hitting his face but after that? Nothing. 

He sat up and made his way to the bathroom to take himself a well-deserved shower. He stripped himself of the clothes that were plastered to his body by old sweat and probably beer and regretfully stepped in before the water was ready. Soon the water was warm then hot and steam began to rise around him.

Flashes of purple smoke and long inky black hair bombarded his mind, but as soon as they appeared, they vanished. Sokka’s head was overwhelmed with a searing pain he had never felt ever before. He braced himself against the shower wall, letting the stinging hot water wash down his back. He tried to mentally grasp onto the images and dive deeper to try to salvage something.

He couldn’t figure out how the fuck he saw purple smoke. He had never seen colored smoke before besides in gender reveal party videos and fireworks, but no one he knew recently had a baby shower and it was the middle of fall, nowhere near an appropriate holiday for fireworks. And that hair. He couldn’t seem to place a face below that hair. Or anything else for that matter. With more thought, a side shave and a skull stud earring came up from his further investigation.

He purged his mind of trying to remember and focused on his shower. He couldn’t keep himself under the water for forever so he finished hating his crappy memory and made his way back to his bed. He flopped down face first without even drying off and wallowed a bit in self-pity. The day was Saturday and he didn’t have another shift until Monday thankfully. Some time passed as he laid there, slowly air drying, when his phone started ringing.

Lifting his head, he looked to the bedside table where his phone was charging. The caller ID showed just a string of blue wave emojis and despite his moody mood, Sokka smiled to himself. Katara always made him feel better, even if she was a shithead sometimes. 

“Good Morning Sunshine.” Katara’s perky voice bombarded him through the speakers of the phone. “Do you have any plans today?”

“Nope! And that’s exactly how I want to spend the day. Doing nothing, I might need to run to the grocery store though.” Sokka was happy to finally have a day off. He just wanted to sleep. 

“Great! Can you take care of Appa for us today? We are airing out/cleaning our apartment today and you know how Aang gets when he worries that Appa is going to get out.” He heard music and loud noises in the background as if they had already started cleaning.

“Did you really just say slash? And what part of me saying I wanted a nice and nap-filled day meant 'bring your gigantic beast, that should barely be considered a dog, over'?" He was met with silence on the other end of the line, Katara clearly not amused by his sarcasm. "Fine, I’ll take that giant mophead. I guess I can get dressed and head over there.” Sokka huffed in mild annoyance but got up to get dressed anyway.

“Weeelllllll, here’s the thing about that. We’re kinda already here? Parked right in front of your apartment building.” 

Sokka sighed and put on an easy pair of black joggers and a form-fitting black shirt. He wasn’t sure why he was going for darker aesthetics lately, but he wasn’t complaining, it was easier to match when everything was the same color. Since he already knew Katara would mention his disastrous mall goth phase in high school, he tossed on an electric blue canvas jacket.

Jogging downstairs was a little harder than he thought, his head was heavy and almost felt like he was swimming. He pushed through though and it was getting better with the fresh air.

Waiting on the sidewalk below was his sister, her bald boyfriend, and their almost 200 pound Saint Bernard Appa. Seeing Sokka, Appa began wagging his tail hard, making loud _whump_ _whump whump_ noises against the concrete.

“Thank you so much for this Sokka. I owe you so muuuuuch.” Katara was already passing over the leash as Aang was pulling out a giant duffle bag. He passed over the almost equally heavy bag to Sokka and gave him a sheepish grin when Sokka complained of its weight.

“Tui and La, Aang, do you have a body in this thing?” Sokka hoisted the strap up and over his shoulder.

“Nope! That’s his ‘go away’ bag. It has his food, toys, bath towel if he gets dirty, his shoes for bad weather, his raincoat…” Aang continued to list off increasingly obscured items, but Sokka’s mind drifted to how the heck he was going to keep the giant bundle of fur preoccupied for the near future. 

Katara pushed the bald boy into their Honda Civic and gave her brother an apologetic look. “We gotta go if we want to get anything done. We’ll see you sometime tonight. Probably after 7, but definitely before 10.” With that she closed the car door behind her and stuck her arm out of the window, waving good-bye and Aang drove them away.

Sokka trudged his way back upstairs with his new addition and settled himself into the couch after showing Appa his food and water bowl. An hour passed and he was finally burnt out of scrolling through every social media he had and catching up on youtube videos he missed in the past week.

Appa whined loudly at the door and gave the leash on the floor a long look before casting his big ole puppy dog eyes to Sokka. He gave a deep huff-type bark and Sokka got his message loud and clear. With that Sokka rose from his near osmosis state from the couch. “Okay, okay big boy. Do you wanna…” He trails off as he sees Appa begin to shake his booty along with his tail, a fast-paced wiggle that moved his whole body.

“Go.” Appa bent low and his tongue rolled out, still wiggling with all of his might.

“For.” The excited pupper's bark was deep and happy as if he understood everything Sokka was saying.

“A.” Appa stopped everything. His tail stilled and his body matched. His big brown eyes shone with excited hopefulness.

“ **_Walk?_ ** ” All pandemonium broke loose. A blur of white and brown fur dashed around in front of Sokka. Appa bounced on his massive paws a few times before he finally calmed down just enough for Sokka to be able to clip the leash onto his collar.

"Alright big boy! Let's get it." Sokka opened his door and left the sanctity of his apartment. Thankfully Sokka decided to move to the nice part of the city where there was a park every other third street and a specified dog park on every seventh.

Appa loved the new change of scenery compared to his normal area around Aang and Katara's. He stopped every few feet to sniff a flower or smile at a new stranger. 

What should have been a 15-minute walk turned into 30 with his eagerness to absorb everything. Finally, every stop became worth it as Sokka saw the small doggie playground and fenced-in running area. 

The pair was almost there. So close that Sokka could visibly see the latch on the gate, clear as day. Suddenly, Appa pulled on his leash  _ hard. _

Sokka went flying forward at the tug and the whole handle he had on the leash was yanked from his hand. Appa was running fast across the open plain of grass towards another dog. Sokka frantically scrambled to get up and ran after the hulking mass of canine.

Appa stopped just short of running over a small Irish Terrier, both to the gratitude of Sokka and the smaller dog. Both animals began circling each other, intent in their sniffing introductions. 

Sokka finally caught up then slowed to a stop a few feet short of them and noticed that there was someone attached to the terrier. A long red leash was handled by a darkly clad man.

He had on black jeans that were artfully ripped across the knees, a black t-shirt with a geometrical design and ‘The future is female’ written across it, and a bright red jacket with matching Converse in the same shade. Sokka wanted to take a moment to ogle, especially at the long black waves cascading down his back, but the world came tumbling back down to him with one of Appa’s excited barks. 

"Oh shit, I'm sorry!" Sokka swooped down and grabbed the leash from the ground. He wrapped the leash handle around his hand in a bunch to get a nice and firm grip on it. "I hope he didn't scare your dog. I swear, despite his size and tough exterior, Appa is such a sweetie and would never hurt a fly. "

The stranger smiled down at Sokka and shook his head gently. "No, no. It's alright. Druk is pretty fond of your dog it seems." 

Oh shit, his voice. It was like being enveloped in a warm blanket. It sounded husky and low, but buttery and smooth at the same time. He almost felt like it could wash over him and soothe any ailment on his body and any problem clouding his mind.

"Ah fuck I like your voice."

…

…

_ What the fuck did I just say? _ This can't be happening. Sokka couldn't believe he just did that. He gave a slight tug on Appas leash, ready to run away any moment until that voice stopped him in his tracks. 

"Really? Cause I don't like it all that much." The man laughed and toed the ground a bit in embarrassment. 

Something clicked in Sokka's head. It was the same thing that turned on when one of his friends insults themselves or whenever they're too anxious to go ask for ketchup from the fast-food employee. It overpowered whatever his anxiety was trying to warn him against. 

"Are you kidding me, man? Your voice is amazing!" Sokka brightened with his words, he loved making others feel better about their qualities. He knew what it felt like to feel lower than dirt and if he could help anyone  _ not  _ feel like that, then he'd count it as a win. 

Sokka noticed a faint blush appear on the taller man's cheek and nose, and it made him preen with the knowledge that his secret plan was working.

"I just don't know. There was this one guy that wanted me to voice some dishonored prince in his cartoon, and that would have been really cool, but I guess it just wasn't my thing. It's just not to my liking." He spoke lightly as if this kind of interaction was a delicate thing for him.

"Well, you already heard my blurted-out opinion on it. I'm Sokka, by the way." His overdriven confidence mode was fading fast, so he stuck out his hand before he could second guess himself. 

The stranger grabbed his hand and shook it lightly. "I'm Zuko. Nice to meet you. And nice to meet your dog too." He gave another small laugh and it was as if Sokka died and went to the afterlife. But then he remembered his whole reason for going to the park in the first place. Appa.

"Ahh, yeah. Appa. He gets a  _ little _ excited sometimes. And he's actually my sister and her boyfriend's dog. I'm just pup sitting today." He bent down to pet the large boy on his scruffy head. 

Zuko jerked his head to indicate the fenced-in running area. “Well I was about to take Druk over there if you want to join me, I think I just saw you guys over there.” He clicked his tongue and got the smaller dog’s attention away from his new friend.

Sokka nodded, maybe a little too enthusiastically, but nevertheless followed after the pair. Soon the four of them made it and they let their dogs run free and play their hearts out. They sat on a bench not too far and people watched in silence for a few minutes.

“So. I know you said Appa wasn’t yours, but do you have any pets.” Zuko spoke, his eyes still following pedestrians walking by. From the angle Sokka was sitting at, he noticed the smooth lines of Zuko’s scar. He tried not to stare because it seemed like everyone noticed the blemish and openly gawked if the turning heads in his peripheral were anything to go by. 

“Nah, I can barely take care of myself sometimes. I don’t want to be responsible for another being, at least until I figure out how to live my life.” Sokka sighed at the end of admission. He really needed to take better care of himself. His job, his eating habits, his life. His love life, or lack thereof. 

“I get that. Sometimes I really don’t think I have my life together, but Druk makes me feel better. Reminds me that I need to eat, and keep a schedule. In a way, he takes care of me more than I take care of him.” Zuko was open with Sokka and it warmed Sokka’s heart. Maybe meet-cutes happened in real life and not just sappy rom coms where the heteronormative man and woman meet suddenly and there's a  _ spark  _ between them.

Oh yeah. There was definitely a spark, Sokka felt it the moment he heard Zuko speak. He felt as if he had known Zuko longer than just the few minutes since they met. The small little box covered in chains and locks in his heart lost one of its locks on the first chuckle and the chains keeping it closed were getting weaker and weaker with each word Zuko uttered. 

“So have you lived in Ba Sing Se all your life, or…?” Sokka trailed off his inquisitive sentence. Surely Zuko hadn’t been here long. Ba Sing Se never had anyone that was anything like Zuko. From his style to his attitude. 

“No, I’ve only been here a few weeks actually. The weather is a lot different than what I’m used to. I used to live somewhere a lot… hotter. The chill is really seeping into me here.” Zuko seemed a bit guarded with his words as he closed his jacket a little bit to ward off the chill.

“Oh! Are you from somewhere like Caldera? It’s pretty hot there.” 

“Yeah. Caldera. Totally.” He responded a little choppy.

Sokka was quiet for a moment letting the answer sit between the two of them. “Did you move with family or is it just you?”

Zuko gave Sokka a small distant smile and turned to face Sokka on the bench. “I moved here alone. I’m not really close to most of my family. Ah, well. My dad was always angry and was red in the face all of the time. His anger was almost like fire, volatile and dangerous. My sister is the same way, but more cunning. Her tongue and words are sharper than any knife. She’s going to be the one to take over his… job whenever he decides to give it up. I’m just glad to be gone from them. At least for a little bit.” 

The new information was startling, to say the least. Zuko seemed nice, and genuine, nothing like his father or sister. There was an empty hole in the family photo in Sokka’s head though. “What about your mother?” Sokka flinched at his own insensitivity. He shouldn’t be blatantly asking strangers such personal questions.

Zuko ran a hand through his hair in a bit of frustration. “Ah, yeah. She’s not really in the picture anymore. She wasn’t happy in the marriage with my father, and I couldn’t really blame her. No one could be happy around him.” Zuko fiddled idly with the leash in his hand. “There was always some kind of abuse. Whether it was emotional or… physical, and she always took the brunt of it. Somewhere around when I was 11, I think, she left one night.” Sokka went to say something, but Zuko kept talking before he even got the chance.

“I-I remember smelling her perfume in my sleep one night, she always smelled of water lilies and the weird earthiness that ponds have. I think she came to say good-bye to me. I’m not really sure where she is right now. Probably in a beautiful home with a lake nearby. I hope she is at least.” Zuko tried to shield his face away from him, but Sokka was still able to see the single tear sliding down his unscarred cheek before Zuko swiped it away.

“I feel like I should be resentful for her leaving us with him, but I’m just glad she got away. I guess he did calm down after she was gone though. Maybe she was finally able to do something to change his ways just a little.” Zuko stopped talking, his last few words quiet and the world around the two of them seemed so still. There was no breeze rustling the trees, and the conversations stilled. Even the dogs all around them seemed to be silent in their playing.

Sokka felt a small pit open up in his stomach and his eyes started to well with tears before he could stop them. He watched as his hand reached for Zuko’s as if he wasn’t in charge of his own limbs. He laced his fingers into Zuko’s and their hands clutched onto each other.

“I’m sorry. Ah, fuck. I-I actually don’t have a mom either. Well, I did. But one morning she was coming home from the hospital from her shift. She was a nurse that worked there, and a drunk driver blew through a red light. Just T-boned her. I think I was 9? I can’t really remember. It was all a blur for the next year after that.” Tears flowed freely as he told his story. No one outside of the family knew what had happened besides Yue. Why did Sokka feel comfortable telling this almost complete stranger the most traumatic experience in his life? 

“I remember her funeral though. It was unfairly sunny. It seems like when something tragic like that happens, the weather should correspond and it should be gray and rainy. But no, it was sunny and there wasn’t even one cloud in the sky.” Sokka could distinctly remember the casket was lowered slowly into her grave and the birds around them had begun singing their song. 

Sokka at the time felt betrayed by the universe for mocking his grief, but with age, he changed. He thought maybe nature had meant to celebrate her life instead of mourning her death. His mother was the strongest ray of sunshine in his life. It would have been appropriate to honor her with the best weather imaginable. 

He wiped away his tears with his free hand. The intake of breath he took sounded clogged and wet and he hated it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dumped all of that onto you. We barely just met.” 

He vaguely felt Zuko squeeze his hand. “If you can’t tell a random person your trauma, then who can you tell it to? We both just used each other as a free therapist. It’s okay.” 

“I don’t know though. There’s something about you, something familiar.” Sokka started lightly patting his chest. “I can feel it in here. And I like it. I like you.” He looked down at their interlaced hands and smiled. “I hope you feel it too.”

Zuko looked shocked at Sokka’s words and it made him feel a sting of self-consciousness.

“I-I think I do too.” Zuko stood and tugged Sokka up with him. “I gotta go though. I would love to continue this, but I can’t stay for long. Druk and I gotta go back home in a bit.”

Disappointment stabbed itself in between Sokka’s ribs. “Oh… Okay.”

Zuko turned himself to face the darker man, never letting go of Sokka’s hand. “But how far do you live from here? Maybe I could walk you back home.”

Sokka’s face broke into an impossibly wide grin. “Yeah! Yeah. I don’t live too far. Let’s go.” 

The two men went and retrieved their dogs and found them playing together as they chased each other around. The walk back to Sokka’s apartment was filled with laughter and Sokka basked in the bright aura that surrounded them. They got to his door and he invited Zuko in for a quick cup of coffee.

Zuko let Druk off of his leash just as Sokka did with Appa, the two dogs jumped around each other and raced off to do whatever dogs do.

“I shouldn’t stay long. Druk gets antsy when we’re away from home for too long. He is such a homebody.” Zuko joked as Sokka led him to the couch. “Hey, uh, can you stay here for a second? Before you go make the coffee?”

Sokka felt confused for a second, but he took a step closer and got a swift smell of Zuko’s cologne. It was sweet and light. His heart started beating hard from their close proximity.  _ Hopefully, it’s not loud enough for Zuko to hear. _

"Y-yeah. Totally." Sokka stammered and stood in front of his new… interest. "What's up?" He couldn't resist the temptation to fidget, his fingers tap tap tapping away on his thigh. 

A warm hand touched his face and Zuko's thumb caressed Sokka's cheekbone tenderly. "I really wanna kiss you right now." Zuko angled his head as he spoke softly. 

A strange sense of comfortability and familiarity washed over him. He wrapped his arms slowly around Zuko's waist and tugged him closer. "Then why don't you?" His voice was equally as tender as if the moment was reverent and demanded respect.

"Ah, because that would mean goodbye and this would be the end." Their noses were lightly touching and their breaths intermingled between them. Sokka felt like this wasn't the first time they've had to say goodbye like that, but there wasn't anything logical in that feeling since that was the first day they'd ever met. 

"Not all goodbyes mean it's the ending. But if it makes you feel better, this one could mean 'until we meet again’. " 

"I'd like that." 

Gently their lips met and Sokka closed his eyes. Both felt promises simmering under the surface of their skins that neither could give. Push and pull was more than just the motion of the sea, it was the cycle of them. Their kiss was not dominated by either but a cooperative dance. But a waltz had never felt so...so… hot. 

Sokka sank into it. He grasped onto Zuko tighter. A low moan ripped itself from his throat but he didn't try to conceal it. His want was something he wanted to convey as strong as he could. Years and years of hiding himself was the only thing holding him back from what he wanted usually but he wasn't gonna make it stop him here. He wanted to show everything of himself to this beautiful person before him. 

All too soon, it ended though. Zuko broke it off and tucked his head into Sokka's neck. He trailed a line of chaste kisses along the line of Sokka's jaw. Zuko paused his trek and sighed. "Until we meet again." 

Sokka was about to question him when he smelled a sickly sweet scent. Sweet like something chocolatey but sickly like he had been exposed to it too long. He tried to open his eyes as much as he could, but it was still only small slits of haziness. It was like someone had put a purple filter over everything. "Wh-what is that?"

Zuko hummed into Sokka's neck and wrapped his arms around the darker man. "It's taking longer now... I'm sorry. It should still work soon." 

"What should work? Zuko?" He wanted to say he was scared, any logical person would be. Everything was good though. He felt safe. Content. His eyes got heavier and his knees were oh so close to giving out from under him. Sokka's arms fell from around Zuko's waist and he tried to get them back up again but he failed.

"Nothing babe. Just breathe in and go sleep." Zuko tightened his arms around Sokka and turned him to set him down on the couch. With gentle movements, he was able to get Sokka to lay down onto the couch and settled in comfortably. 

"Yeah, yeah. Shhh-sleep sounds goooood." Sokka closed his eyes once more and let his breath even out. Zuko ran his hand down Sokka's shoulder to his arm and gave him one last squeeze on the side of his forearm. 

"So long and goodnight." Zuko turned away and scooped up Druk. He nuzzled his face into the soft fur on his neck. "Mmmm. I've always wanted a dog. Too bad you're fake." With a snap of his fingers, Druk poofed into thin air. 

Zuko took the time to give a glance around the living room and take note if there was any trace of him. Finding nothing, he took his leave through the front door, its lock turning by itself to secure it. 

A few minutes passed until the silent apartment was interrupted by a loud knocking. Katara's muffled voice came from the other side. "Open up! I come bearing gifts!" A couple of moments drifted by with no response. Again, loud and insistent rapping sounded against the door. "Are you sleeping! Jeez!" 

Finally, there was a sound of keys bumping haphazardly against the door and it swung open. Katara and Aang both waddled into the apartment, arms heavy with large boxes of food. 

They set them down rather obnoxiously by the kitchen counter and Aang began to sort through them, shelving boxes of uncooked noodles and placing various meats into the fridge and freezer, giving a solemn nod to each package. 

Katara turned and went to the lazing lump she calls a brother and stood over him for a moment, marveling at how Sokka could truly fall asleep almost anywhere. Another few seconds passed before she grabbed one of the decorative pillows on the couch (one that she bought) and brought it down with the force of a spirit onto her unsuspecting brother. She was able to get in a few good whacks before Sokka became fully conscious. With sleep heavy arms, he tried to defend himself.

"Hey, hey! What's the big idea here? I was having an amazing dream!" He curled himself into a ball as well as he could and chunked another pillow at her, thankful that it hit its mark. Her head. 

She sputtered for a moment before knocking his feet off the couch and forcing him to sit up. She plopped down in the newly vacated spot. "If your dream was so great, what happened in it?" 

Sokka tried to remember. "Uhhhh, well. There was the color purple, but like a bright neon kinda purple. I'm pretty sure someone was there. Pretty sure it was a he. But I don't know. Their outfit was kinda androgynous so… They had piercings? Definitely had a scar cause I remember thinking about one, a significant one, but I'm not sure where it was. I can't remember anymore." 

Katara shifted in her seat, slinging her legs into Sokka's lap. "Ya know, there have been studies and they say that if you see someone in your dreams, it's because you've seen them before. Even if it was in a crowd or passing by at the store or on TV." 

Seen them before? Sokka couldn't even comprehend where he had seen that person before. Before he could get lost in his mind, Aang reappeared from the kitchen and gave the two siblings an amused smile. "Hey, Sokka! Great to see you awake and how great Appa is!" Aang ducked down and gave Sokka a crushing hug. "I wish we could stay longer but I have to get up early for yoga class tomorrow morning." With that, the younger man helped Katara off the couch, and they grabbed Appa with all of his supplies. The pair made it to the door and Katara paused before opening it.

"We cleaned out our pantry and did a little food shopping for you and your 'bachelor pad fridge'. Hope you like organic spinach noodles with your spaghetti." She turned to leave but popped her head back as she remembered something. "Oh yeah, Suki told me that you were ignoring all of her texts and calls today. She really wants to talk to you." At last, the two and their dog left, leaving Sokka alone in his quiet apartment.

With a huff, he rose and made his way to his bedroom, longing for a hot shower.  _ Tomorrow _ , he thought.  _ I'll call her tomorrow.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to post this last week, but some of the water pipes in my apartment decided they didn't like the cold and I've been dealing with that since then. Hope y'all like it!


	4. Chapter 4

“ _ Let me hear you say, this shit is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S. This shit is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.” _

Sokka was awoken by his truly unfortunate ringtone. He loved Gwen Stefani with a passion but getting thrust into the awake world by her participating in the world’s worst spelling bee was not fun. That ringtone was special for Suki and Yue both, so he knew it had to be one of them calling. 

He rolled over in his bed slapping the phone and hoped he pressed the accept button. He thankfully heard a small voice try to speak to him. “Wait a minute! Ima try to put you on speaker." A few more fumbling movements later, Sokka had successfully gotten the phone turned to speaker mode and marginally closer to his head.

"Alright! What it do, honey boo?" Sokka still didn't fully know who was on the other end of the phone, but life is full of surprises, and what's the harm in creating some of your own? His curiosity was sated when a familiar sweet drawl came out.

"I'm so sorry for Friday, Sokka. I guess I didn't realize at the time that I was being insensitive to you. I talked to Yue about it and she enlightened me." Suki sounded pained and Sokka knew she only had good intentions for that night.

"I guess we’re getting right into it then. Did she give you the disappointed sigh?" He had known Yue for almost his whole life and he knew he wanted to alleviate some of the unspoken tension between him and Suki at that moment. "I always hated and loved that sigh because I knew she wasn't mad at me but it still felt soul-crushing."

Suki gave a light relieved laugh. "Oh, My Spirits the sigh. I never knew I could be made to feel so small by someone shorter than me" 

"Then you've never actually sparred with Toph then. All 4 foot 10 of her is made with pure adrenaline and spite. Those two things are enough to take anyone down. But back to Yue, I've easily gotten a hundred of those sighs and it hasn't lost any of its power." Sokka shuddered at the thought of it.

Suki let out her own sigh. "I really am sorry though Sokka. I shouldn't have pushed you." 

Although Suki had no way of knowing what Sokka was doing at that moment, he nodded and whispered to himself, 'no you shouldn't have’. 

“We should talk more soon, face to face that is.” Sokka finally was going to do it. He was going to come out of that horrid closet. But that was for another day. 

“Any plans for today? I know you’re off.” Suki loved small talk while Sokka despised it. He’ll make the exception for her though.

“Ah, I was gonna walk around a bit. Maybe get something to eat, maybe see where my feet take me kinda thing.” 

“Ohhhh. ‘Not all that wander are lost’ kind of thing, huh?” Sokka heard a rustle at her end, and she gave off a small ‘oomph’. “Well, a certain someone with the sigh just declared today a bed day. I gotta go, love. See you soon.”

“See you soon” With a click, the call disconnected. Sokka took a moment to just listen to the silence of his apartment and thought about the day ahead of him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sokka loved his alone time and cherished being able to just… be. Dressed in his favorite jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, Sokka left his apartment and just let his feet carry him. He left his phone in his back pocket and looked around at his surroundings, enjoying watching the birds fly around and seeing the way that the trees rustled in the breeze.

Slowly but surely he found himself walking towards the dog park he had taken Appa to the day before. He tried to reminisce in the memories of Appa running around but found little to remember. Golden eyes pierced his mind though and he kept seeing them flash his vision like images from a dream. 

He suddenly felt a migraine forming on the top of his neck towards the back of his head. His senses were being dulled except for the overwhelming smell of a candy shop crowding in on Sokka. He fell onto his knees and held his head firmly in his hands. He was trying as hard as not to cry out in such a public place but the pain was becoming too much for him. But when he thought he was about to pass out from all of it, the pain stopped and the smell went away just as suddenly as it had appeared.

Tears pricked his eyes and a weird uneasiness settled itself in his stomach. He knelt there on the ground for a few minutes, catching lingering looks from people that passed by. But he couldn't care less about them as he was just trying to hold himself together. Nothing could have warned him for what happened and he wasn't even sure  _ why _ it happened.

His breath was ragged and he couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs. After what could have been a few minutes or what could have been an hour, he finally mustered the strength to stand up and shake himself.

It eerily reminded him of the past two mornings that he had and the awful images that his mind was supplying to him. He wanted to go to the doctor but he had neither the insurance nor the money to go. He finally resolved to look into what the internet says the next time he was home. 

With nothing on his mind besides what could be wrong with him, he just let his feet carry him. He found himself in front of the Jasmine Dragon without really knowing that's where he was heading. He looked inside and pushed open the glass door, hearing the small little bell chime out above him.

Behind the counter stood Jin, arguably the nicest and most chill person on the planet. With heavy footfalls, he made his way over to the register and gave a small spot smile. Sokka looked up at the menu as if he hadn't already had it memorized. " Hey, I didn't know you are working today."

Jin’s soft laughter filled the quiet Cafe. "It's really the only time I can work. I just started college up again and I need my weekdays open for that." She leaned against the counter and rested her head in her hand, knowing she didn't need to put up the cheerful customer service act in front of him. "So… what'll you have?"

He was still looking at the menu and his eyes gravitated toward the actual tea section. He usually got some sort of fruity boba-filled iced drink, but he couldn't stop himself from wanting to try something out of his norm. "I guess I'll get the ice jasmine tea."

"Mmhmm, that's new for you." And with that, she turned her back to him and began to make the order. His mind started drifting to the last time he was at the cafe only two nights ago and he remembered Ty Lee's infectious laugh. He winced at the thought because he knew he needed to have the apology talk with Ty Lee too and he knew she blamed herself for far too much. 

The sloshing of the ice in the plastic cup brought him out of his mind. Automatically, he swiped his card and waved Jin goodbye. As soon as he stepped out of the store, he heard a distant  _ clink clink clink _ of a chain. He looked around him but there was no one near. With his anxiety spiking with the unidentified noise, he continued on with his walk.

Everyone around him always called him a space cadet because of how easy it was for him to get caught in his daydreams, and his mindless strolling was the perfect time for them. He dreamed of what could be. What if he ever decided to come out of his bubble and actually meet people? What if he went to bars and have fun? What if he could find the one.

His thoughts soon traveled of what the one might be like and what he actually might be looking for in someone. He wanted someone who wasn't like him. Someone confident, maybe suave, definitely someone who knew what they wanted in life. Maybe someone with long hair, with scars that told a story, someone who had a lot of life that was actually interesting compared to Sokka's self-proclaimed dull and monotonous life. But he still wanted someone that he could talk to and relate to. Maybe someone who saw life a little bit in the way that he did.

As his internal monologue filled his mind, he finished the rest of his tea and hummed to himself, thankful that he did try something new the one time. His stomach growled and he knew exactly what he needed before he headed home. The perfect little ending to his perfect little day. (Okay, maybe it wasn't perfect but a guy could dream, couldn't he?)

It was perfect timing as he rounded the corner and spied the small little truck that held his favorite cuisine in the world. A large smile plastered itself on his face as he held himself back from running. His mouth was already watering when the smell of the faint corn tortilla scent wafted in the air in front of him. He smiled as the faint white light from the Christmas lights above him gave his skin a soft glow. There were so few actual physical places he felt so content but if he had to think of one, the taco truck and its picnic tables were definitely on the list.

He rang the small bell next to the window in front of his face. Not even a moment later it opened and a sweet old lady started talking to him. "Ayyy mijo. You're getting so skinny. Do you want your usual? I'll add another one just for you." 

They never ceased to make him feel nice and warm and welcomed. "I can't possibly accept that. But thank you anyway." He smiled up at her and was already bringing out his wallet.

"Ahh, it's nothing. Besides, I think that little boyfriend of yours is going to want a little extra meat on you." The older woman turned around to grab the hot plate that somehow was already prepared for him. Her words stumped him though. There was no boyfriend. 

"I'm sorry to break it to you, Grandma. But I don't have a boyfriend." Maybe she was getting him confused with someone else. There had to be so many other people that came to the taco truck. Maybe, just maybe, she's just a little tired and mixing him up with another patron. Because it was ridiculous, he didn't have a boyfriend and he definitely didn't even have anyone that he brought over to the truck.

"Mijo… Snatch him up before someone else does. You looked so happy with him. A hunk like him doesn’t come around every day.” Her kind words were offset by her suggestive eyebrow wiggle. A thin film of dread covered Sokka from head to toe and he gave a small awkward laugh. 

“Haha, yeah… I’ll definitely do that. Just uh. Can you describe who you’re talking about? Just so I know we’re talking about the same person?” He couldn’t have been worse at trying to cover his uneasiness, but she didn’t seem to notice when she gave him the styrofoam plate and a small bag of salsa.

“The rocker boy with the long hair and piercings. I don’t want to be rude, but he has that big scar on his face. You know, I had a boyfriend that looked like him when I was your age, but my Mama hated him. Forbade me from seeing him.” Her words were like a cold shower for him. Everything came into focus all at once and he needed to sit down. 

With wobbly legs, he rushed from the truck and began running, food in hand. It can’t be, how could he be having whole encounters and supposed dates with someone he doesn’t even remember. Every weird and strange occurrence the past few days started to come to the front of Sokka’s mind and crowded his already messy thoughts.

The earrings, the jacket, converse shoes,  _ and  _ combat boots? Bits and pieces of an ever-growing problem showed themselves and he didn’t know what to start with. Things about someone he didn’t even  _ know _ started to drift through him. 

The gust of the wind against his face was bitting into him harshly but he couldn’t care less as small tears pushed their way out. 

The thing was that he wasn’t even sure that he didn’t know the strange mirage of a person. He should feel shocked and maybe even betrayed by himself for forgetting an entire person, but all he felt was joy and the small kernels of something stronger growing within him. 

What should have been a nice ten-minute walk turned into a three-minute mad dash. He rushed unlocking his door and he collapsed onto the floor just inside the sanctuary of his apartment. More and more things bombarded him in all shapes and forms, overloading his senses. He smelled the sweet richness of him, felt the soft and thick hair through his fingers, and the bubbling feeling of laugher coming from him. He knew exactly what the images in his mind felt like, and he started to just know things he never knew before. He knew everything. 

Everything had its place in his memories, but it was somehow cramped and shoved in there as if they were trying to take up space that was already filled. It wasn't just that the memories that were missing suddenly appeared; it was that those whole chunks of time just never existed in Sokka's mind anymore. 

But fuck, he was finally remembering everything. The first night that they spent together, the night at the club, even the day with Appa. He was recalling every little chuckle and every private smile. Their conversations were making a loop in his head. Everything from thinking that all butts look good, all the way to their trauma. What was he going to do?

He hated it. He hated every little feeling and every little thought that was crossing his mind. Because he knew he couldn’t truly enjoy it. He loved Zuko, he just knew it. From what it seemed like though, Zuko was just going to be a temporary thing in his life and he didn't know how to take that. It felt like he had his life sort of figured out with him. Zuko taught him to believe in himself and to be a little bit more confident. 

It was being ripped out of his arms though. How could he chase that love, how could you even begin to try to find it? There was no hope in him and he just felt broken. Broken and tired. 

Some people were just made to not be whole, and Sokka resigned himself to be one of them.

Groggy and feeling like he had the worst hangover in the world, he slowly got up and found the strength to stand on his own two legs again. He grabbed his poor discarded tacos and headed to his bedroom. 

His body felt so weird and drained that it took him far longer than it ever had to eat his tacos and just lay in bed to sulk. Usually, when he felt that bad he would come up with a plan on how to solve it and get on with his life. But the thing was, there was nothing he could do. Sokka didn't have this guy's number, he didn't know where to find him, the vague details that Zuko had given were mocking him. 

Sleep, he needed to sleep. 

He undressed and got underneath his covers. His eyes were singing his praises as he shut them. Sokka hoped that by the time he woke up, everything would have just been a really bad dream and he could just go back to work in the morning as if nothing ever happened. But nothing ever truly went the way he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta def had to set me right with this chapter. So many things were off. We have 2 more chapters to go! Tell me what y'all thought of it! Comments and kudos are always appreciated.


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